BANGALORE,
OCT. 7.
Indian Air Force has proposed to start the country's only Air Force engineering college in Bangalore in July next year. It has drawn up plans to start the college at Jalahalli, according to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Headquarters Training Command of the Indian Air Force, Subash Bhojwani.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Mr. Bhojwani said the college would fulfil the IAF's long-felt demand. It would be co-located with the Air Force Technical College at Jalahalli, he added.

The engineering college, he said, was still not authorised. "As soon as it happens, we would be taking up issues such as recognition by the All India Council for Technical Education and other universities. It might in the long-run become a deemed university by itself," he said.

The college, he said, would every year select on all-India basis 110 students who have passed the pre-university or the plus-two examination. In the four-and-half years course, the college would give theoretical and practical knowledge and comprehensively train the students as aeronautical engineers. Bulk of the recruits to the IAF would be from this college and the rest from other engineering colleges, he said.

Upgrade

Mr. Bhojwani said the air force station at Bidar would be upgraded to locate the advanced jet trainers (AJT) being purchased by the IAF. "We have placed orders for 66 trainers. Among these, 22 will be produced by the British Aerospace and 44 by the Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited."

The air station would have more advanced facilities, which includes the unique facilities necessary for the British-made jet trainers, Hawk.